


Take A Chance On Me

by catfishofoldin99colours



Category: Ocean's 8 (2018)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Domestic Fluff, F/F, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Light Angst, Pansexual Character, both of them are a MessTM, i use nine ball's actual name in this, idk there's a lot of Feelings and discussions, its leslie if anyone's forgotten, nine ball is pansexual, post-movie canon, there's some mentions of leslie's family as well
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-23
Updated: 2018-08-23
Packaged: 2019-07-01 10:41:57
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,070
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15772479
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/catfishofoldin99colours/pseuds/catfishofoldin99colours
Summary: Children say strange things, but nothing can quite compare to their honesty.





	Take A Chance On Me

**Author's Note:**

> again, thanks to the discord chat for motivating me to finish this, it'd be an untouched draft for months otherwise. also thanks to the one of them that both beta'd it and gave me a title (thanks ma!)
> 
> for this story, i imagine tammy's already divorced her husband, but they're still on good terms and the kids remember him fondly (and maybe visit him occasionally, idk).  
> hope you enjoy!

‘Why are you still awake?’ Tammy’s groggy voice mumbles as she hangs her dressing gown up on the hook behind the door.

Leslie looks her up and down as she does. The blond woman’s hair is all messy and tangled, long golden strands washed dark with water from her shower, and then tangled together as she towelled it dry. She’s wearing a loose grey top that dips low over her collarbone, and baggy flannelette pyjama pants with little white cats on them. She’s an odd mix of both slightly sexy and adorably sweet, and funnily enough Leslie reckons that’s basically Tammy in a nutshell.

‘Sorry, _mom_ ,’ she mock-grumbles as Tammy strides over to the bed, running a hand through her hair. She sighs.

‘I just don’t get how you can possibly still be awake. I mean I’m exhausted!’ she mutters. Leslie closes her laptop and smiles.

‘I mean, I don’t have two kids to take care of…’ she offers, and Tammy’s shoulders shake in a gentle laugh.

‘Mm, true. Must be easy when you’re perched in front of a computer all day.’ She turns around and smirks. Leslie scoffs.

‘Hey, I do important shit on this computer, so shut your face.’ She snarks, and waggles a finger in Tammy’s face. The blond woman laughs and turns back, running her hands over her still-damp hair. The dusky strands catch the light of the bedside lamp near her, sending a glowing sheen running down their length that glimmers in the half-light of their- _her_ room.   
Leslie has to keep reminding herself that this room is hers, not theirs, and Tammy just sleeps here sometimes – they don’t _share_ it.

Leslie wonders when she started forgetting that. Tammy doesn’t sleep in here often, and always asks to do so. Truthfully, she only started when her daughter Zoe was sick with a fever and she stayed up all night panicking about her, worrying between sleeping in her room and keeping watch to make sure Zoe didn’t overheat or throw up too badly during the night. It had only seemed fair to Leslie to offer the worried mother a place in her bed, as the children’s room was right next to hers and it would be easier for her to look after them that way. Most of Leslie reasons that Tammy was just grateful for the help, and too tired to argue – she’s far too conservative (or shy? Maybe both) to suggest such a thing on her own, of that Leslie is sure.

But that same part is having a hard time justifying why Tammy keeps coming back – there have been several occasions where Zoe and Caleb were perfectly fine, and she just asked to come and sleep in Leslie’s bed for seemingly no reason. Leslie, pathetic and pansexual as she is, didn’t argue nor question her, grateful for a chance to be close to her crush; but still, it makes her think. Even tonight, both the children are sound asleep already, tucked into their beds hours ago, and Tammy’s right here, sitting on her bed and combing her hair as if they were married and about to go to sleep themselves.

Leslie should be so lucky.

Still, a smaller part of her likes to think Tammy said yes to her initial offer for perhaps another reason, one she isn’t confident enough to say out loud. It’s dumb and mostly wishful thinking, but she clutches to it nonetheless, uses it to help her breath every time tammy turns her pretty brown eyes and friendly, playful smile on her.

She does that now, turns around where she’s sitting and runs her fingers through her now combed hair, fluffing it out in places, and smiles at her. Leslie has to pretend she wasn’t just staring at the smooth line of Tammy’s shoulders and imagining biting and kissing her way along them, marking loving bruises into the soft, pale skin.

She thanks whatever gods exist that her own dark brown skin hides a blush easily, as she reaches down and puts her laptop on the floor.

‘So, what were you doing, on that computer of yours today?’ Tammy asks, curling up against the pillow on _the side of the bed she’s currently occupying_ (Leslie makes a point of telling herself that) and playing with the ends of her hair. Leslie must try and ignore the way her top dips lower over her collarbone, the shadow of her breasts visible in the half-light of the room. She swallows and shrugs as nonchalantly as she can.

‘Eh, normal stuff. Managing the bar, doing off-side shit for some clients, keeping myself untraceable. The usual.’ She smiles, and Tammy laughs.

‘Mm. Gotta stay off the grid, ‘specially if Debbie ever wants to pull another heist.’ She says and props her elbow on the headboard. Leslie chuckles.

‘Yeah. Although we did make a lotta money from this one…’ she stops, and Tammy shakes her head and waves the idea off.

‘Nope – money doesn’t matter to deb. She does heists, and tricky ones, mind you, because she knows she can and she wants to do something dangerous. If she wants to do it, it’ll happen, no matter what kind of haul it’ll bring in.’

‘Seriously?’ Leslie questions and Tammy nods vigorously.

‘Yep. Call it an Ocean family thing; I’m almost certain it’s genetic, to be frank. If an Ocean wants to do a heist, there is nothing anyone can say to get them out of it – not even prison will stop them, as you’ve probably realised.’

‘Ha-ha, that’s true.’ Leslie laughs, because it is – she was surprised to find out Debbie was so fresh out of the slammer and so eagerly on the case, when she’d been hired for the Met Gala heist, but having known the women for longer now it hardly surprises her. Debbie is a lot of things, but if she is anything, she’s ruthless, seeing through any plan to the bitter end no matter what.

Tammy pulls her legs up on the bed and tucks them under her, yawning as she does. The motion shifts Leslie out of her thoughts, and she looks to her sleepy bed mate again, trying to be discreet. There’s a soft halo of golden light around Tammy’s head from the lamp behind her, and it casts her features into a deep shadow. Her dark brown eyes are liquid in the slight gloom, droopy and soft with sleep, and her folded-up form is smooth, edges curved and lessened by the soft lighting and calm atmosphere.

That atmosphere is shattered when a blood-curdling scream rips through the loft, a child’s shrill voice crying in terror into the night. Instantly, Tammy’s sleepy countenance is gone, her entire body springing into action as she bolts upright and dashes out of the room towards her children – for it is Zoe’s voice they can hear tearing into the stillness of the night, Zoe who is screaming and crying for her mother.

Both intrigued and worried, Leslie gets up and follows Tammy, her initial shock now gone as she marches to see what’s wrong.

There’s a gentle yellow light spilling across the hallway from where the door to Caleb and Zoe’s room lies open, and soft coos and loud sobbing can be heard from inside. Leslie gingerly pushes the door open, to see Tammy sitting on Zoe’s bed with the little girl wrapped up in her arms, sobbing into her shoulder as her mother hushes her and whispers gentle words in her ear.  
In the bed opposite, Caleb sits up, blankets drawn up to his chin and his blue toy rabbit huddled close. He hears the door creak open and looks over, eyes wide in fear, relaxing a little when he sees Leslie. She waves and smiles– Caleb knows her and likes her, and she likes the little guy too.

But he doesn’t wave back like he usually would, and she notices that he looks very scared and very small. So, Leslie crosses over to his bed quietly, sitting down and letting him crawl up to her as she puts an arm around his scrawny shoulders. He doesn’t say anything, but seems to relax in her presence, which is a good thing (she supposes – Leslie knows fuck-all about childcare). Across the room, Tammy mouths a silent thank you to her, as she strokes Zoe’s head.

‘What’s up, huh, lil’ dude? Something wrong?’ Leslie asks Caleb gently, not wanting to scare him.

‘Bad dream.’ Tammy leans forward and whispers, and Leslie nods.

‘Your lil sister scare you too huh?’ she looks down at Caleb and he nods a little – obviously shaken, but also possibly a little put out at being so easily terrified by his little sister.   
Leslie can relate. She rubs his shoulder and hugs him close.

‘No worries son, she scared us too. Gave mamma a jump, and nearly made me fall over!’ she says, and Caleb laughs, because it’s funny, and she meant it to be, and she’s glad to see him smile again.

Eventually Tammy manages to calm Zoe down enough to get the story out of her – a bad dream, as she said, but one that gave her hideous ideas of a monster under her bed, ideas that Caleb is somewhat reluctant to deny.

‘You think there’s something under the bed?’ Leslie asks, not intended to be a mocking tone. Zoe nods vigorously, her little voice wobbly.

‘Y-yes, there was! It-it wanted to e-eat me m-mummy!’ she wails, and Tammy holds her close and strokes her hair.

‘Shhh, baby, its ok, its ok… I’m sure its just your imagination, there’s no monsters under the bed. You know Uncle Lou’s place is very safe, she’d never do anything to hurt you…’ she says, kissing the girl’s forehead.

Leslie looks to Caleb.

‘What ‘bout you, huh? You see something under there?’ she asks softly.

Caleb looks between her and his mother, and then shrugs his shoulders half-heartedly. Leslie tuts and shakes her head.

‘Lou better get pest control down here pronto!’ she says, and Tammy rolls her eyes at indulging the children – evidently, she doesn’t approve.

‘Honey, I’m sure it’s nothing, ok? There’s no monsters in Uncle Lou’s and Auntie Debbie’s house, you know that. Here, Leslie will check under the bed for you to make sure!’ she says, and gestures for Leslie to do so. The hacker rolls her eyes but stands up and gets on her knees, bending down to check under Caleb’s bed first, and then Zoe’s.

Oddly enough, there is something under it – a small rubber crocodile, all spiky and misshapen, that wheezes when she picks it up.

‘Well, I dunno about no monster, but uh, mister croc over here is making an appearance…’ she says, holding up the rubber toy. Tammy sighs and chuckles.

‘You see? You see? It was just your crocodile! There’s nothing to be afraid of, sweetheart!’ she says and kisses Zoe’s head gently as Leslie holds the crocodile out to her. Zoe seems unsure, but soon relaxes in her mother’s arms, laughing when Leslie makes the toy whistle by squeezing it. Caleb laughs too, and she does it again, creating a terrible symphony of grating, weak whistles and half-assed wheezes. Tammy’s laughing too, and the sight makes Leslie’s heart thud harder in her chest.

‘Alright, alright, that’s enough now. Come on, it’s late, and little chickens have to go to bed!’ she says, kissing Zoe’s head again.

About ten minutes later and the kids are finally tucked in again, fresh cups of water on the bedside table between them and rubber crocodile placed on their bookshelf. Leslie ruffles Caleb’s hair and he giggles happily. She smiles and kisses her fingers, patting them on his cheek, whispering a gentle,

‘G’night lil dude.’ To him as she does, before turning to leave.

‘Goodnight Leslie!’ Zoe calls after her, and she waves back to the little girl, blowing a kiss to her as well. Tammy smiles and finishes tucking the child in. Leslie’s about to leave, but stands by the door for a few seconds, admiring the gentle scene of a mother doting on her children.   
A small whisper breathes in her inner ear, a flash of her father trying to be as loving and sweet as the mother they didn’t have, when she and Veronica were little. She shakes her head, tossing the memory away. She doesn’t want to be kept awake by that, not again, not now.

Sighing quietly, she tells Tammy goodnight, says goodnight to the kids once more, and closes the door on her way out, leaving it slightly ajar so Tammy doesn’t have to wrestle with the lock again.

She’s padding back to her room, only half-paying attention to Tammy talking to her children, for the exhaustion now weighing on her mind is heavy and thick. Earlier she hadn’t even realised how tired she was, but now all she wants is to go to bed, to be perfectly honest, and she’s pretty sure she can even sleep through the jitters of having Tammy so close to her.

‘Mummy, you remember when daddy was here, and he gave his last name to you?’ Zoe’s inquisitive tone asks. Leslie smiles at the question – Tammy had told her that the kids asked weird ones late at night, but that was something else.

‘Yes, honey, I did share daddy’s last name. Now come on, its time to sleep.’ Tammy’s gentle voice, strained with fatigue, answers her. But Zoe will not be so easily swayed.

‘But mummy, daddy let you borrow his name because you were married, right?’ she asks excitedly.

‘Yes, dear, because we were married. Now it really is time to go to sleep.’ Tammy sighs.

‘Mummy, I thought, now you have a boring name again, but if you married Leslie you could borrow hers, and be called nine-ball!’

Leslie stops at that. Her entire body freezes and her mind runs through what the little seven-year old just said. Every thought she’s had about Tammy, every little dream of kissing her, holding her, loving her, being with her, flashes through her mind, and her heart starts pounding. She struggles for something to ground her, anything, amidst the craze of hormones and emotions inside her. It doesn’t help that tammy’s gone silent as well.

Eventually she speaks.

‘Oh, honey, sweetheart, that’s, uh, that’s a lovely idea,’ (and Leslie’s heart jumps several feet,) ‘but to marry someone you have to love them, a lot.’ She says, voice wavering. Leslie’s stomach almost plummets into her toes when she hears that, were it not for Caleb’s quick reply.

‘But you like Leslie, don’t you mummy? You told us she was your favourite of all your new friends.’ He says, earnestly and sincere. Leslie feels her face go hot, and turns to look at the slightly-open door again. She’s Tammy’s… favourite?

‘Yes, yes mummy! You _have_ to marry her so we can all be called nine-ball!’ Zoe giggles excitedly.

‘…sweetie, can we talk about this tomorrow? Its late and mummy’s very tired.’

‘but!’

‘I promise we can talk about this tomorrow, but mummy needs her rest, and you two need to sleep.’ Tammy’s tone is serious and tired, and something else that Leslie can’t quite detect. She quickly lets go of analysing it though when she hears Zoe and Caleb quietly agree, and rushes back into her room when Tammy kisses them goodnight.

She’s sitting in bed, covers pulled up around her, trying to look like she didn’t dash there after standing in the hallway listening in on the mother and her children. Tammy walks in and quietly shuts the door, yawning hugely and climbing into the bed next to her.

‘Oh man, I am _so_ tired.’ She mumbles, running her hand through her nearly-dry hair. Leslie nods her agreement, not trusting her voice to stay steady. Tammy pulls the covers up and rearranges her pillow several times, mumbling as she does.

‘I love them, I really do, but god I wish they could sleep through a full night sometimes.’ She mutters. Leslie chuckles, softly and only half-interested, still turning over what she heard a few minutes before. Tammy sits up.

‘You ok?’ she asks gently, face drawn into a picture of concern. She’s so loving, and kind, always ready to help. Even if she looks about ready to collapse right now, she still offers herself, offers her time and effort to those who need it.

Its an incredibly honest part of her, one that Leslie deeply admires.  
And one she decides to copy, starting right now. She takes a deep breath and hopes she says the right thing.

‘What are we?’ she asks quietly, dark eyes searching Tammy’s own, willing her to be gentle as she lays herself bare.

‘What are… what do you mean?’ Tammy responds, obviously confused… but there’s a hint of something nervous, something hopeful and daring in her voice. At least Leslie assumes that’s what it is.

She sighs.

‘Just now… I-I overheard you… and your kids…’ she starts, and Tammy’s eyes blow wide.

‘Oh, oh, that! Oh, Leslie, they’re, um, they’re kids! They can say… crazy things, you know that…’ she stammers.

‘I… I know, tammy. But… well, they gotta get ideas from somewhere. Right?’ she asks, staring deep into Tammy’s eyes and hoping for a straight answer. Tammy deflates, her entire body sinking where she sits, and turns, resting her head in her hands.

‘God I did not expect this to get out of hand so quickly…’ she mutters to herself, and the words, although probably not intended to, stab Leslie’s heart and make her curl in on herself, just a little.

But then Tammy says something that makes her listen, gives her a bit of hope.

‘I mean they didn’t even guess, just said exactly what I was thinking… I never thought Caleb and Zoe would say that… why can’t I just keep my big mouth shut…’ she mutters, shaking her head and rubbing her eyes with the heel of her palms. She’s panicking, albeit quietly, and if Leslie doesn’t want one thing, it’s for Tammy to panic.

‘Hey, hey, tammy, I… I didn’t mean to freak you out, girl…’ she reaches across and gently places her hand on the mother’s shoulder. Tammy looks up, shakes her head and sits back up.

‘Sorry, it’s just… I didn’t expect this to happen… tonight…’ she smiles weakly, and Leslie doesn’t believe her attempts at comfort. She tries steering the conversation somewhere else. Somewhere nicer (hopefully).

‘It’s cool.’ She says, and means it, smiling. Tammy smiles back, genuine this time. Leslie takes a deeper breath, and lays her hand out on the bed, next to where Tammy’s fingers are wrapped around the doona. She swallows thickly.

‘All I want to know is… what, exactly, you feel. Towards me. I, uh…’ she says, pointedly not looking up as she senses Tammy turning her head towards her.

Leslie swallows again, searching for the right words and unable to find them.

Slowly, surely, Tammy’s hand inches over, and she curls her fingers over Leslie’s palm, pale flesh mingling with her own ochre tones and giving her a grounding point. Leslie falls quiet and reciprocates the gesture, wrapping her fingers over Tammy’s knuckles, and enjoys the comfort she finds in the tender embrace. Tammy runs her thumb over Leslie’s skin, and Leslie feels like she can go on again without losing her breath.

‘I like you.’ She says gently, keeping her gaze on their intertwined hands. Out of the corner of her vision she can see Tammy doing the same.

‘Differently than just a friend?’ Tammy’s quiet voice asks gently, and suddenly Leslie has to tear her eyes upwards, has to look into Tammy’s soulful brown ones and understand what she means. Tammy looks at her, earnest and scared, but just a little bit endearing. Still, Leslie’s unsure what exactly she’s seeing, reading in her crush’s expression. She can’t predict how this might turn out, and she’s not the kind of woman to take chances, especially with her feelings.

Tammy squeezes her hand, and her gentle voice says,

‘Hey, it’s ok. I’m right here.’

And Leslie realises that maybe taking a chance, maybe risking it all, maybe being _brave_ is what’s needed right now. She realises that she’s going to have to trust Tammy, the way Tammy’s trusting her.

She takes a deep breath through her nose and closes her eyes.

‘Yeah, I like you, different to a friend. Like, real different.’ She says, opening her eyes and hiding her face in her shoulder and fighting every urge she has to draw her hand back from Tammy’s grasp. A soft rub of Tammy’s thumb keeps it there.

‘Leslie…’ she breathes, and Leslie looks up at her again.

‘I… I like you too. Differently to a friend.’ She says, softly.

Leslie holds her breath and doesn’t say anything.

‘And I… I don’t know, I’d be happy, uh… being more? Than friends? Um…’ she stutters, smoothing her pretty blonde hair out of her eyes. Catching Leslie’s nervous, watchful eye, the fencer clears her throat and tries again.

‘Um, what I mean to say is that… if you like… and if you don’t want to then that’s fine too, but… I’d be happy to be… closer, together… as partners, maybe? I don’t know, girlfriends, if you like… whatever you want to call it…’

The yellow light of the lamp behind her bathes her skin a rich golden tone, but not even that can hide the deep pink blush spreading on her cheeks. Enamoured by her honesty and obvious shyness, Leslie takes her hand closer and squeezes it gently.

‘I mean, if you’re cool with it, then being girlfriends sounds good to me.’ She replies, voice trembling only slightly and face burning with a blush she hopes isn’t too visible – she has a reputation to keep, after all. Tammy smiles, only just concealing the obvious delight in her grin.  
Leslie just squeezes her hand back in response

A piercing silence falls over them, the kind that rears its head when its late at night and only the burning of the lamp’s lightbulb is perceivable, that and their stilted breathing. Both women look at each for a second, smiling awkwardly, unsure what to say.

‘Well, uh, we should, probably go to sleep, huh?’ Tammy asks somewhat awkwardly, retrieving her hand. Leslie nods and lets go as well, both of them sliding under the covers completely and settling into the large double bed. Tammy leans over the turn out the light, but stops at the last second, and turns around.

‘Do you, um… oh never mind’ she blushes heavily and goes to turn back. But Leslie is curious and lays a hand on her arm, pushing herself up on her elbow.

‘What?’ she asks, shyly, hopefully. Tammy blushes deeper and averts her gaze.

‘Oh, I um… its kind silly but… do you want… can I kiss you goodnight?’ the blonde asks, peering up questioningly through her long lashes. Leslie’s breath stilts in her throat.

‘…uh, sure?’ she responds.

‘Not to pressure your or anything!’ Tammy says suddenly. She shakes her head, eyes wide, to affirm her point. Leslie smiles and feels her cheeks go hot.

‘No, no, its cool. I… I’d like that’ she says gently. Tammy goes quiet.

‘…really?’

‘Yeah.’

Tammy is quiet again, and smiles at the darker woman, until Leslie grows impatient.

‘Well… come on and kiss me then!’ she says, using her old friend sarcasm to cover up her nervousness. Tammy laughs in response and leans closer.

‘Ha-ha, alright, alright! I…’ she starts to say, but Leslie will never know what she was going to, because the lovely blonde woman leans over and presses her lips to hers, gentle and affectionate and nervous and passionate all at once. Leslie closes her eyes and enjoys the sensation – she’s kissed a few women in her lifetime, but she’s pretty sure Tammy is the most tender one to date. Her lips are soft and warm, and she kisses with a firm, loving touch, with just enough pressure to make Leslie fall into the motions and kiss her back.

All too soon, Tammy pulls away, slightly uncertain and blinking nervously.

‘…was that… ok?’ she asks, voice barely a whisper.

Leslie smiles, feeling her pulse flutter in her neck and for once comforted by its shivering beat. She smiles back.

‘Yeah. Yeah, it was.’

**Author's Note:**

> soooooo just to clarify, both leslie and tammy are staying at lou's loft, where everyone has their own designated room to stay when they're in new york or to dump their stuff or just stay for a bit if they need it, or if they're doing a heist, of course. and of course lou has a room for tammy's kids to stay, only for some reason the room next to theirs is leslie's. tammy's is like down the hall or something??? idk i got tired of trying to write mental backflips to justify why they were set up the way they were, or why tammy and her kids were staying there in the first place (i know some of the fandom headcanons that her household situation isn't the safest but i don't subscribe to that personally - maybe they just took a vacation to new york while her ex-husband is on a buisness trip or something, idk) - maybe comment a suggestion why they're staying here and not at home.
> 
> anyway, hope that clarifies things, otherwise i'm happy to answer questions in the comments ^^ (comments in general give me life too but i hope you enjoyed it regardless!)


End file.
